By Chioma Umeha
Pharmacists under the aegis of Pharmaceutical
Society of Nigeria (PSN) have called on the Federal Government and the other 35
states of the Federation, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to
urgently integrate and inaugurate the Consultancy Pharmacist philosophy in the
public health interest.
Making the call during press briefing ahead of the
89th annual national conference in Minna, Niger State from November 7 to 12,
2016, was the National President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria Pharm
Ahmed Yakasai, who noted that only Niger State has
recognised this status.
Citing the American Society of Consultant
Pharmacists definition, the PSN boss said a Consultant Pharmacist is “a
Pharmacist who is paid to provide expert advice on the use of medications by
individuals or within institutions, or on the provision of Pharmacy services to
institutions.”
He further noted that definition implies that
Consultant Pharmacists must have requisite expert knowledge; must be appointed
and go through a structured selection process.
Yakasai also said that a Consultant Pharmacist
must enjoy benefit of adequate remuneration.
Following unprecedented systemic failure in the health
system, the PSN President, said it is critical to structure the position of
Consultant Pharmacists around four major functions.
This include: Expert practice; research,
evaluation and service development; education, mentoring and overview of
practice; professional leadership and expert practice.
His words: “In view of the evolving hi-tech
procedures in medicine therapy, the main purpose of the Consultant role is
delivery of high-level professional expertise.
“The Consultant Pharmacist will drive professional
development and play a pivotal role in the promotion of evidence based
practice.
“The Consultant Pharmacist will demonstrate a high
degree of professional autonomy, dealing with complex issues or situations
including circumstances of considerable uncertainty.”
In view of Research, Education and Service
Development, Yakasai said: “The Consultant Pharmacist will provide an essential
clinical governance role by leading and contributing to audit, service evaluation,
research, education and training.
“The Consultant Pharmacist helps to develop and
strengthen links between research and practice. Ultimately the Consultant
Pharmacist helps to increase capacity and to develop a workforce that is
research oriented.”
Concerning education, mentoring and overview of
pharmacy practice, the PSN boss maintained: “Consultant Pharmacist will play a
key role in mentoring pharmacy personnel as well as contribute to Human
Resource Development in the Health Sector. Engagement in Universities and
teaching Hospitals will particularly promote this goal based on need assessment
periodically.
“Consultant Pharmacist undertakes teaching in his
area of competence thereby enhancing links between practice and professional
bodies.”
In terms of professional leadership, he said:
“Consultant Pharmacist will be effective leaders and communicators who motivate
and inspire across the borders of various health specialties in the public and
private sector.
“Consultant Pharmacist will appraise existing
structures and prescribe needed organizational and professional barriers which
inhibit service delivery.
“ The pool of expertise available to the
Consultant Pharmacist will compel contribution to the development of service
strategies which will drive change in health and social care.”
Similarly, the society urged President Muhammadu
Buhari to ensure that members are appointed to head relevant agencies such as
the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC),
Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) and the Nigerian Institute for
Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), insisting, that this will guarantee better health
care delivery in the country.
Yakasai said: “We reckon that it is the
prerogative of the federal government to carry out appointments at PCN, NAFDAC,
and NIPRD which are major agencies in the pharmaceutical Sector. Our concern is
predicated in public interest especially in the value such appointments can b
“Our first priority is to ensure lawful appointments on all pharmaceutical
platforms because we certainly do not envisage or pray for the disruption in
equilibrium we experienced at PCN when representatives of PSN was compromised
due to a distasteful manipulation by an interested party in 2009. We once had
the same scenario at NAFDAC which degenerated to a court action in another
dispensation.”
Yakasai said to avoid an unpalatable discourse the
PSN has since recommended its representatives to the Honourable Minister for
Health as provided for in Section 3 (1) F of the PCN Act. He reminded the
Federal Government that Section 1 of the PCN Act provides for perpetual
succession which ordinarily should exclude the PCN from recurrent dissolution
alongside other boards of parastatals.
Yakasai said it is therefore imperative that
government appoints a chairman for the PCN as most of the other slots are
statute bound by virtue of the law and that the Federal Government is also
familiar more than ever before with the condition precedent to appoint
substantive Director Generals (DGs)/Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) for NAFDAC
and NIPRD.
The PSN President said NAFDAC is yet another
strategic agency in the workings of the health sector in view of the need to
continue to ensure a safety mandate in the quality of medicines and foods offered
for sale in Nigeria.
He said government must appreciate that the
management of NAFDAC led by a substantive Director General/Chief Executive
Officer and the full governing council led by a seasoned chairman will play
complimentary roles to consolidate some modest gains in the overall value chain
the NAFDAC output epitomises and brings to bear on public health endeavours.
